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The Stars Above the Hill
The epic conclusion to The World Beyond Duology ~
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382 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2025
3 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Angela Funk
4 books39 followersAngela Funk is a fantasy and sci-fi author based in Iowa. She started writing short stories and full-length novels in elementary school, and her love for writing continued throughout her adolescence. School lessons were often lost on her, as she always had her nose in a book. Six months after graduating from the University of Iowa for a B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation, she made her dreams a reality and published her fantasy debut, The Heroic Facade. When she is not writing or daydreaming of fantastical worlds, Angela can be found watching anime, hiking, and spending time with her fiancé and cat.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 23, 2025
If you’re looking for a whimsical fantasy/Alice in Wonderland retelling that explores found family, mental health, and an overall wholesome romance, this one’s for you!!
What an absolute perfect completion to a wonderful duology. It was sweet, enchanting, and left me with my heart feeling so ~hopeful~.
“I carry the burden of hope in a hopeless journey with grace, I suppose. That doesn’t mean it’s not a heavy burden to carry.” Celeste had me feeling all the feels!! The mental health rep was so well written in all of its forms. There were many heart wrenching moments that really drew me in more to each character.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish, and found myself giggling at points in the novel too. I said it before and I’ll say it again, books with strong friend groups are the best!! The humor was top tier, especially the banter between Mark and Noah. Noah- “I have style and I’m funny. Right guys?” Mark- “On a good day yes. There just aren’t many of those.”
I wasn’t expecting to like the addition of Luna to the friend group as much as I did. It didn’t ruin the dynamic, and if anything, added more depth and well-roundedness to the group.
This book was authentic, having its own unique characteristics to it, and although it’s an Alice in Wonderland retelling, it’s retold in such a distinctive way. The food descriptions were cozy, and just like in the Alice in Wonderland movie, I wished I could eat all the desserts!!
Another thing I loved were the riddles the twins would give the group while they journeyed. “Are you being argumentative for fun?” Had me cackling when they were trying to solve one of the riddles LOL and Eugene the door was hilarious. These pieces of Alice in Wonderland were perfectly woven into the story in a fun way.
Thank you Angela for allowing me to ARC read!!
What an absolute perfect completion to a wonderful duology. It was sweet, enchanting, and left me with my heart feeling so ~hopeful~.
“I carry the burden of hope in a hopeless journey with grace, I suppose. That doesn’t mean it’s not a heavy burden to carry.” Celeste had me feeling all the feels!! The mental health rep was so well written in all of its forms. There were many heart wrenching moments that really drew me in more to each character.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from start to finish, and found myself giggling at points in the novel too. I said it before and I’ll say it again, books with strong friend groups are the best!! The humor was top tier, especially the banter between Mark and Noah. Noah- “I have style and I’m funny. Right guys?” Mark- “On a good day yes. There just aren’t many of those.”
I wasn’t expecting to like the addition of Luna to the friend group as much as I did. It didn’t ruin the dynamic, and if anything, added more depth and well-roundedness to the group.
This book was authentic, having its own unique characteristics to it, and although it’s an Alice in Wonderland retelling, it’s retold in such a distinctive way. The food descriptions were cozy, and just like in the Alice in Wonderland movie, I wished I could eat all the desserts!!
Another thing I loved were the riddles the twins would give the group while they journeyed. “Are you being argumentative for fun?” Had me cackling when they were trying to solve one of the riddles LOL and Eugene the door was hilarious. These pieces of Alice in Wonderland were perfectly woven into the story in a fun way.
Thank you Angela for allowing me to ARC read!!
April 24, 2025
{4.25/5}
CW: ref suicide, ref loss of family, mental health, alcoholism, some others
Thank you to the author for allowing me to be a part of the ARC team! “The Stars Above the Hill” is available now!
Still in love with the genderbent Alice in Wonderland story and you’ll never convince me to be otherwise.
With a guarantee from the Ruler of the Deep that they’ll help stop the worlds from ending if the group can bring him two stars, Noah and Celeste set out, along with Mark and Katalina, to go retrieve said stars. As with everything on Fortun, though, nothing is as one might expect, and the stars seem to have moved entirely…
Part two of the duology is here, and it’s every bit as insane as part 1. But first, a disclaimer— I had a harder time getting into this book, but I *don’t* think it’s the book’s fault. This one seems to be more of an “I’m fighting off a slump” situation, so take the review with that grain of sand in mind. If it was still this good when I’m out of it, I can’t wait to see how much better it is when I read it again at a better time.
Ok, on to the actual review. This book completely delivers on all of the unhinged glory that is the original Alice story. It’s wacky, it’s fun, and I absolutely adored getting to see the unique spins the author put on some of my favorite Alice characters.
This book completely embraced the insanity that it displayed in book 1 (“The World Beyond the Horizon”), but with a definite feeling of ‘something is rotten at the sickly sweet core.’ It starts subtle, but underneath the lush fever-dream that is Fortun, there’s this creeping sensation that something is wrong, and it gets stronger and stronger the further in we go. Those undertones were a fantastic balance to the rest of the story, and I thought it all worked really well to make this into a story that wasn’t just whimsical and fun but also something that had just a little bit more oomph behind it. I thought this also worked well with the placement of some of the OG Wonderland-ers, because it gave your mind something familiar to latch onto in the midst of all the madness.
I have to be honest, though. At first, I didn’t love the ending. It felt a little jarring and it’s not what I was hoping for. After sitting with it for a little bit, that opinion has changed. It’s actually really fitting both to the overall feel of this duology and to the nature of the original material. The longer I think about it, the more right it feels. That’s all I can really say without giving anything away, but I don’t think I’ll be alone in this thought process. I could be entirely wrong though, and that’s the beauty of reading— you get to choose for yourself.
This is absolutely a book that you need to be in the right headspace to read. Both the books are, really, though I think this one more so than it’s predecessor. You have to be willing and able to go with the flow. A linear path to the final destination isn’t going to be a straight line; it’s going to curve around and give you all sorts of unexpected things along the way and the characters (or at least Celeste) are going to treat those things like there’s nothing out of the ordinary because, for them, there isn’t. Noah deals with a lot of character growth, but it’s not uncommon for his thoughts to veer off course and then get interrupted by something completely unhinged. If you’ve ever wondered what Alice’s adventures would have looked like if she was a man in sci-fi story instead, or if you just think that idea sounds like fun, this is the duology for you.
CW: ref suicide, ref loss of family, mental health, alcoholism, some others
Thank you to the author for allowing me to be a part of the ARC team! “The Stars Above the Hill” is available now!
Still in love with the genderbent Alice in Wonderland story and you’ll never convince me to be otherwise.
With a guarantee from the Ruler of the Deep that they’ll help stop the worlds from ending if the group can bring him two stars, Noah and Celeste set out, along with Mark and Katalina, to go retrieve said stars. As with everything on Fortun, though, nothing is as one might expect, and the stars seem to have moved entirely…
Part two of the duology is here, and it’s every bit as insane as part 1. But first, a disclaimer— I had a harder time getting into this book, but I *don’t* think it’s the book’s fault. This one seems to be more of an “I’m fighting off a slump” situation, so take the review with that grain of sand in mind. If it was still this good when I’m out of it, I can’t wait to see how much better it is when I read it again at a better time.
Ok, on to the actual review. This book completely delivers on all of the unhinged glory that is the original Alice story. It’s wacky, it’s fun, and I absolutely adored getting to see the unique spins the author put on some of my favorite Alice characters.
This book completely embraced the insanity that it displayed in book 1 (“The World Beyond the Horizon”), but with a definite feeling of ‘something is rotten at the sickly sweet core.’ It starts subtle, but underneath the lush fever-dream that is Fortun, there’s this creeping sensation that something is wrong, and it gets stronger and stronger the further in we go. Those undertones were a fantastic balance to the rest of the story, and I thought it all worked really well to make this into a story that wasn’t just whimsical and fun but also something that had just a little bit more oomph behind it. I thought this also worked well with the placement of some of the OG Wonderland-ers, because it gave your mind something familiar to latch onto in the midst of all the madness.
I have to be honest, though. At first, I didn’t love the ending. It felt a little jarring and it’s not what I was hoping for. After sitting with it for a little bit, that opinion has changed. It’s actually really fitting both to the overall feel of this duology and to the nature of the original material. The longer I think about it, the more right it feels. That’s all I can really say without giving anything away, but I don’t think I’ll be alone in this thought process. I could be entirely wrong though, and that’s the beauty of reading— you get to choose for yourself.
This is absolutely a book that you need to be in the right headspace to read. Both the books are, really, though I think this one more so than it’s predecessor. You have to be willing and able to go with the flow. A linear path to the final destination isn’t going to be a straight line; it’s going to curve around and give you all sorts of unexpected things along the way and the characters (or at least Celeste) are going to treat those things like there’s nothing out of the ordinary because, for them, there isn’t. Noah deals with a lot of character growth, but it’s not uncommon for his thoughts to veer off course and then get interrupted by something completely unhinged. If you’ve ever wondered what Alice’s adventures would have looked like if she was a man in sci-fi story instead, or if you just think that idea sounds like fun, this is the duology for you.
April 22, 2025
INSTAGRAM POST (for extended thoughts): https://www.instagram.com/thenookofde...
Thank you to the author, Angela Funk, for the pleasure of reading an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm so happy to be back in this world with Noah, Celeste, and the rag-tag crew.
What a great conclusion to this duology! While it has been about half a year since I read The World Beyond the Horizon, I appreciate the brief visual recap at the beginning of the book. The first chapter is a direct continuation of the previous book, and it was nice to see references to past events in the first book as a way to help me remember what happened in the journey so far.
The Stars Above the Hill goes beyond the weird and whimsy of The World Beyond the Horizon. Luna becomes a fifth member of the planet-saving group, and the deeper the exploration goes, the more danger the group faces. However, amidst the bloodthirsty fairies and a confrontation with a self-absorbed queen, the adventure also strengthens Noah and Celeste's budding romance, which is all the more sweeter in this installment.
I enjoyed the level of character development that the main crew got in this book. Noah was forced to deal with his spiraling mental health, and Celeste showed more vulnerability compared to her usual bubbly persona. While Mark and Katalina were still the level-headed couple of the team, they also got to enjoy the spontaneous moments of their journey, especially when that excitement came infrequently in their home planet. And Luna, for all her lovesick tendencies, showed compassion when I least expected.
While there were times I wished there was just a little more development with the worldbuilding, the simplicity of it made it easier for me to follow along with the overall plot. And, while the story's pacing could've slowed down a bit toward the second half, I still enjoyed how everything was wrapped up.
Highly recommend picking up the duology!
Thank you to the author, Angela Funk, for the pleasure of reading an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm so happy to be back in this world with Noah, Celeste, and the rag-tag crew.
What a great conclusion to this duology! While it has been about half a year since I read The World Beyond the Horizon, I appreciate the brief visual recap at the beginning of the book. The first chapter is a direct continuation of the previous book, and it was nice to see references to past events in the first book as a way to help me remember what happened in the journey so far.
The Stars Above the Hill goes beyond the weird and whimsy of The World Beyond the Horizon. Luna becomes a fifth member of the planet-saving group, and the deeper the exploration goes, the more danger the group faces. However, amidst the bloodthirsty fairies and a confrontation with a self-absorbed queen, the adventure also strengthens Noah and Celeste's budding romance, which is all the more sweeter in this installment.
I enjoyed the level of character development that the main crew got in this book. Noah was forced to deal with his spiraling mental health, and Celeste showed more vulnerability compared to her usual bubbly persona. While Mark and Katalina were still the level-headed couple of the team, they also got to enjoy the spontaneous moments of their journey, especially when that excitement came infrequently in their home planet. And Luna, for all her lovesick tendencies, showed compassion when I least expected.
While there were times I wished there was just a little more development with the worldbuilding, the simplicity of it made it easier for me to follow along with the overall plot. And, while the story's pacing could've slowed down a bit toward the second half, I still enjoyed how everything was wrapped up.
Highly recommend picking up the duology!
May 1, 2025
Let me just start with sayings THIS BOOK took me back to my childhood. I have read a book with such adventure after a long time. The unexpected turns this book took had me hooked, I never saw any plot twist coming. The world-building had me fascinated.
Like I said It felt like I was once again in the days Where I used to read fairy tales or Magical Realms.
I'm a deeply nostalgic person by nature and you can think I made connections every step of the way including what these characters reminded me of.
This Book had all the myths we used to read as a child and believed them. Angela brought them to life. To all the children who believed stars were exactly how we drew them!
Angela, This was a most beautiful Read, I meeded this!
..
Noah: (I always heard Milly bobby brown calling his name 😭 )
Noah reminded me so much of Harry Potter. His nervous energy, bravery in the face of danger, chosen one ... all vibes matched his. His character growth was remarkable. His love for Celeste was the sweetest thing ever to read
..
Mark was my favorite. His witty humor and dry sarcasm kept the group alive. I loved reading his scene always
..
Xyrus was another one of the characters I loved having appear on page. He was the kind of nonchalant who was nice inside but kept up appearances.
Like I said It felt like I was once again in the days Where I used to read fairy tales or Magical Realms.
I'm a deeply nostalgic person by nature and you can think I made connections every step of the way including what these characters reminded me of.
This Book had all the myths we used to read as a child and believed them. Angela brought them to life. To all the children who believed stars were exactly how we drew them!
Angela, This was a most beautiful Read, I meeded this!
..
Noah: (I always heard Milly bobby brown calling his name 😭 )
Noah reminded me so much of Harry Potter. His nervous energy, bravery in the face of danger, chosen one ... all vibes matched his. His character growth was remarkable. His love for Celeste was the sweetest thing ever to read
..
Mark was my favorite. His witty humor and dry sarcasm kept the group alive. I loved reading his scene always
..
Xyrus was another one of the characters I loved having appear on page. He was the kind of nonchalant who was nice inside but kept up appearances.
February 8, 2026
The Stars Above the Hill by Angela Funk is the final book of the World Beyond Duology.
This book continued with the journey of saving the two worlds. We are introduced to more parts of the world and I'm loving it. Bloodsucking fairies, mind reading gods, and finding the stars over the hills. The MMC asked multiple times, "What is the right answer?" We see many different scenarios that the book could have gone, and it made me think of the multiple choices we have in our own lives.
The future of the relationships of the characters, whether someone loves us or not, whether or not they are doing the right thing. It was beautiful to read. The relationships between the characters flourished and I love reading their interactions. The lovely thing about this book was that you never could guess where it could go and I loved being taken off guard on every page.
I recommend this series for anyone who wants to be taken on a wild ride for every page.
Thank you Angela Funk for the free book.
This book continued with the journey of saving the two worlds. We are introduced to more parts of the world and I'm loving it. Bloodsucking fairies, mind reading gods, and finding the stars over the hills. The MMC asked multiple times, "What is the right answer?" We see many different scenarios that the book could have gone, and it made me think of the multiple choices we have in our own lives.
The future of the relationships of the characters, whether someone loves us or not, whether or not they are doing the right thing. It was beautiful to read. The relationships between the characters flourished and I love reading their interactions. The lovely thing about this book was that you never could guess where it could go and I loved being taken off guard on every page.
I recommend this series for anyone who wants to be taken on a wild ride for every page.
Thank you Angela Funk for the free book.
May 3, 2025
🌟✨*The Stars Above the Hill* by Angela Funk ✨🌟
Wow, what an absolutely enchanting conclusion to the *World Beyond* duology! If you're a fan of whimsical fantasy, epic adventures, and heartfelt character growth, this book is an absolute must-read. 🌌💫
From the very first page, I was drawn into a richly built world full of magic, mystery, and humor. Angela Funk masterfully weaves Alice in Wonderland retelling elements with a fresh, distinctive twist—cozy food descriptions, clever riddles, and a cast of lovable characters that truly feel like family. The banter between Noah and Mark had me giggling out loud, especially Noah’s confident declaration: "I have style and I'm funny. Right guys?" 😂
The story tackles deep themes like mental health, found family, and hope amidst chaos, all wrapped up in a fun sci-fi romantic comedy adventure. Celeste's journey of carrying hope despite her burdens was genuinely moving, and Noah's dilemma of choosing between his heart and duty added a beautiful layer of emotional depth. 💖
Luna's addition to the crew brought new dynamics and heartwarming moments, and the riddles from the twins kept the pace lively and hilarious. The adventure through fairy-filled realms, sky kingdoms, and ghostly dances kept me hooked from start to finish. And the stakes? Intense! The confrontation with the Ruler of the Sky and the moral dilemmas made every page gripping.
Angela Funk's world-building is fantastic as always, with cozy descriptions that make you wish you could taste all the desserts and step into this magical universe. The character development felt authentic and rewarding—seeing everyone's vulnerabilities and strengths blossom was such a joy.
If you're looking for a wholesome, hopeful read that combines fantasy, adventure, and romance with a dash of humor and heart, *The Stars Above the Hill* is the perfect pick. It left my heart feeling hopeful and satisfied, and I can't recommend it enough! 🌟💖
Wow, what an absolutely enchanting conclusion to the *World Beyond* duology! If you're a fan of whimsical fantasy, epic adventures, and heartfelt character growth, this book is an absolute must-read. 🌌💫
From the very first page, I was drawn into a richly built world full of magic, mystery, and humor. Angela Funk masterfully weaves Alice in Wonderland retelling elements with a fresh, distinctive twist—cozy food descriptions, clever riddles, and a cast of lovable characters that truly feel like family. The banter between Noah and Mark had me giggling out loud, especially Noah’s confident declaration: "I have style and I'm funny. Right guys?" 😂
The story tackles deep themes like mental health, found family, and hope amidst chaos, all wrapped up in a fun sci-fi romantic comedy adventure. Celeste's journey of carrying hope despite her burdens was genuinely moving, and Noah's dilemma of choosing between his heart and duty added a beautiful layer of emotional depth. 💖
Luna's addition to the crew brought new dynamics and heartwarming moments, and the riddles from the twins kept the pace lively and hilarious. The adventure through fairy-filled realms, sky kingdoms, and ghostly dances kept me hooked from start to finish. And the stakes? Intense! The confrontation with the Ruler of the Sky and the moral dilemmas made every page gripping.
Angela Funk's world-building is fantastic as always, with cozy descriptions that make you wish you could taste all the desserts and step into this magical universe. The character development felt authentic and rewarding—seeing everyone's vulnerabilities and strengths blossom was such a joy.
If you're looking for a wholesome, hopeful read that combines fantasy, adventure, and romance with a dash of humor and heart, *The Stars Above the Hill* is the perfect pick. It left my heart feeling hopeful and satisfied, and I can't recommend it enough! 🌟💖
April 23, 2025
This book is the beautiful, whimsical conclusion to the World Beyond duology—and it completely stole my heart.
In book one, we met Noah and Celeste at Noah's mother’s tombstone. Celeste revealed she’s from another world, and that both of their worlds are on the brink of destruction unless Noah chooses to help her. Now, in book two, that journey reaches its stunning finale.
Angela has crafted an immersive sci-fi retelling of Alice in Wonderland that’s rich with imagination, mystic creatures, and an unforgettable world you’ll want to stay lost in. The romance between Noah and Celeste is clean yet deeply emotional—a love that transcends worlds. I also deeply appreciated the way Angela wove mental health and grief into this story with such care and subtlety, grounding the fantasy with real human experiences.
Highly recommend this magical duology for fans of portal fantasy, clean romance, and imaginative retellings!
In book one, we met Noah and Celeste at Noah's mother’s tombstone. Celeste revealed she’s from another world, and that both of their worlds are on the brink of destruction unless Noah chooses to help her. Now, in book two, that journey reaches its stunning finale.
Angela has crafted an immersive sci-fi retelling of Alice in Wonderland that’s rich with imagination, mystic creatures, and an unforgettable world you’ll want to stay lost in. The romance between Noah and Celeste is clean yet deeply emotional—a love that transcends worlds. I also deeply appreciated the way Angela wove mental health and grief into this story with such care and subtlety, grounding the fantasy with real human experiences.
Highly recommend this magical duology for fans of portal fantasy, clean romance, and imaginative retellings!
April 13, 2025
"Feel the darkness...but don’t stare into it."
What a breathtaking end to this duology. The imagery is fantastic and every bit the wild craziness you come to expect from a book with many Alice in Wonderland themes. Queens, rulers, Dragons, shapeshifters, mermaids, Fairies, humans... there is a huge diverse cast of fantasy creatures.
Political intrigue meets fantasy meets cozy setting with high stakes. Themes of depression and anxiety are explored well. We also see family, loss, grief, and the train switch dilemma. What would you give up to save the planets?
What a breathtaking end to this duology. The imagery is fantastic and every bit the wild craziness you come to expect from a book with many Alice in Wonderland themes. Queens, rulers, Dragons, shapeshifters, mermaids, Fairies, humans... there is a huge diverse cast of fantasy creatures.
Political intrigue meets fantasy meets cozy setting with high stakes. Themes of depression and anxiety are explored well. We also see family, loss, grief, and the train switch dilemma. What would you give up to save the planets?
April 30, 2025
I was fortunate enough to receive an e-arc from Angela in exchange for an honest review!
She’s done it again in my opinion, I love the writing style and the depth of the characters we interact with. If you’re looking for something that gives an Alice in Wonderland feel, look no further than this duology. It’s action packed with romance and new adventures, follow the main 4 from the previous book as they try to save the planets from destruction.
The writing style is unmatched, it feels unique and inspiring!
She’s done it again in my opinion, I love the writing style and the depth of the characters we interact with. If you’re looking for something that gives an Alice in Wonderland feel, look no further than this duology. It’s action packed with romance and new adventures, follow the main 4 from the previous book as they try to save the planets from destruction.
The writing style is unmatched, it feels unique and inspiring!
July 14, 2025
Another 5 star read from Angela Funk.
This is my new favorite duology.
The growth of the characters in the second book was heart warming. The way they all worked together to save the world, despite their differences.
I love how well the characters are modeled after characters from Alice in Wonderland. Being introduced to them and having the epiphany of figuring out who they are is a fun little game to play while reading.
I truly wish that this could be made into a film because I would LOVE to watch this.
This is my new favorite duology.
The growth of the characters in the second book was heart warming. The way they all worked together to save the world, despite their differences.
I love how well the characters are modeled after characters from Alice in Wonderland. Being introduced to them and having the epiphany of figuring out who they are is a fun little game to play while reading.
I truly wish that this could be made into a film because I would LOVE to watch this.
April 14, 2025
Once again, I love this. Alice in Wonderland retelling, and it is so good. I absolutely love the characters in this book because they all have something different to being to the story, but they all work together so well. Noah and Celeste are such an amazing couple that I can not get enough of them. So much adventure in this second book that makes you want to keep going and going. This ending had me giggling and being extra happy♥︎ so if you haven't read this duology, go read it you'll love it.
April 18, 2025
Angela has done it again. The Wonderland vibes are ticked up a notch compared to the first book. The relationship between the characters has changed and I love it. Mark and Noah's interactions were humorous and Noah. Noah and Celeste are just so wholesome. I wish there was another book to look forward to. (Maybe a novella on what happened at the end?)
March 10, 2025
Just finished beta reading!! A truly unexpected journey from start to finish.
September 9, 2025
What an ending… I honestly have no words
4.25 stars
4.25 stars
November 17, 2025
👏 👏 👏 this series is super fun but with book two I loved how everything came back around and ended with a nice bow. Lots of wimsy and funny moments.
February 4, 2026
I really enjoyed the book. It was a very beautiful world building just like the 1st book.
May 3, 2025
This sequel was just as cute and action-packed as the first book! The banter between characters was just as funny, and the character development was amazingly done. I adored every part of the group and loved that they each had very distinct personalities. This book is on my list of favorite fantasies for sure!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews